Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Scion , Toyota With the introduction tonight of the 2013 Scion FR-S, the triumvirate of oh-so-similar sport coupes born of the joint venture between Toyota and Subaru is complete. The FR-S is what we Americans will get from the Scion brand, as opposed to the Toyota GT 86 that Europeans get and the Subaru-branded BRZ . Believe it or not, but the FR-S will make Scion a five-car brand when it joins the xD , xB , tC and iQ next year. It is by far the most performance-oriented, thanks to its rear-wheel-drive architecture, relatively light weight and low center of gravity, the latter thanks to its Subaru-derived four-cylinder 2.0-liter boxer engine with Toyota’s D4-S direct injection system. As with the GT 86 and BRZ, the FR-S will also produce 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 lb-ft at 6,600 rpm. Transmission choices are also the same with a six-speed manual or automatic with paddle shifters. With its introduction, the FR-S also marks the return of some excitement to Toyota’s lineup of products in the U.S., even if it is branded as a Scion. The Japanese automaker hasn’t offered a true performance machine in the U.S. since the MR2 Spyder ended production in 2007. The more hardcore Supra disappeared from American soil almost a decade earlier in 1998.

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Tokyo Motor Show , Toyota Certainly for the moment, this is the biggest competition the Subaru BRZ has: its twin, the Toyota GT 86 . The volcanic orange coupe was unveiled in another corner of the Tokyo Motor Show , and frankly, it’s got a lot to recommend it. The frontal treatment is slightly different than on the BRZ, but the only digression out back is the lack of a spoiler, and the GT 86 looks pretty good without it. Inside, it’s a tale of two cabins. Clearly Toyota has brought a higher-spec cockpit to the party, and although you might not dig the red two-tone scheme, the iPhone cradle, toggle switches and white gauges are nifty. Of course, that niftyness will cost you a navigation screen, but these are exactly the kinds of choices the GT 86 vs BRZ crowd will need to make. Brush up on the specs in the release after the jump and take a walk around it in our high-res image gallery. Continue reading Toyota GT 86 makes a compelling case for itself Toyota GT 86 makes a compelling case for itself originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Europe , Tokyo Motor Show , Toyota It’s no secret that the Toyota FT-86 will finally make its production-spec debut next week at the Tokyo Motor Show , and ahead of that, the automaker’s UK office has released the first official photos and some initial specs. In Europe, the car will officially be called the Toyota GT 86. In Japan, however, the car will simply be called 86. Cutting right to the chase, here are the specs that are now official, from the Toyota UK announcement. Obviously, there’s more to come: 2.0-liter boxer with D4-S injection (direct and port injected) 197 hp @ 7,000 rpm and 151 lb-ft (205 Nm) @6,600 rpm 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions 17-inch wheel/tire package standard 4,240mm (167 in.) long, 1285mm (50.6 in.) high, 2,570mm (101 in.) wide 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution 475mm (18.7 in.) center of gravity As demonstrated in the photos, everything is basically in line with what we’ve seen so far in the various leaked materials . So, start getting excited. In addition to the sharp styling outside, the interior looks the business, and the “86” fender logo is just plain cool. The GT 86 goes on sale in the UK next June. We’ll be on hand in Tokyo for the official reveal at the end of the coming week, with plenty more then. In the meantime, peruse the photo gallery, then hit the jump for a video and the full press release.

Filed under: Spy Photos , Coupe , Performance , Toyota Maybe there was a time when a car was unveiled and that was that. But we can’t quite recall such a time. Especially not when dealing with a vehicle as hotly anticipated as the sportscar developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru . The car alternately known as the FT-86 , the Scion FR-S and the Subaru BRZ has been the source of a seemingly endless run-up that’s included concept cars, spy shots and more leaks than a colander. And now we have one more. Subaru just gave us its first official glimpse of what to expect with the BRZ STI Concept that’s headed for the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, but before that, we brought you a couple of leaks from the Toyota side of things: one showing the stock version , and another dolled up with bolt-ons from the Modellista accessories catalog. Now we can add one more as images have surfaced on FT86Club.com of the FT-86 accessorized with parts from Toyota Racing Development (TRD). We have to say we’re more enthused by the standard model without the extra baubles, but this latest leak serves to further demonstrate the endless possibilities in store for customizing what is bound to become a popular model among enthusiasts. Toyota FT-86 leaked again in TRD catalog originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Scion , Toyota , Rumormill The diehards at Club4AG have been patiently waiting for a new generation of sports car from Toyota. It seems one of the sites founding members got a closer look at what’s in store for the production version of the Toyota FT-86 II / Scion FR-S . User Moto-P got the chance to attend a dinner meeting with chief project engineer Tetsuya Tada , and it sounds like many a bean was spilled. It’s apparent from Moto-P’s time spent with Tada that the upcoming vehicle is designed to be a true sports car, for true enthusiasts. The engine has been tuned by Yamaha to produce inspiring sounds. Racers will appreciate the space left on either side of the dash, which is there to accommodate a rollcage without also requiring that you cut up the dashboard. There’s even a chance the car will come sans CD player and navigation unit to keep things light and simple in the cabin, yet an iPod connection would still be offered. Moto-P goes on to express his love for the brand, the main engineer and the upcoming car itself. It’s clear that this person is a huge fan, so we take everything said in the forum with a grain of salt. Still, it’s interesting to hear about what may be in store for the long-awaited FT-86/Toyobaru.